Fulcrum type bottle opener



Dec. 12, 1950 F. K. KRAG 2,533,818

F'ULCRUM TYPE BOTTLE OPENER Filed May 14, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. /2,4-z K. 2740 Dec. 12, 1950 F. K. KRAG 2,533,8 8

FULCRUM TYPE BOTTLE OPENER Filed May 14, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FQA/vz K. KRA

Patented Dec. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in bottle openers, and the like. The invention concerns itself especially with improvements in openers for bottle caps of the type known as crown caps, but it will appear that the bottle openers of the present invention may also be used for opening bottles which are closed by other forms of cap than such crown caps. I shall, however, refer especially to the use of the present bottle openers in connection with such crown caps since these caps present certain conditions of application to the bottle necks which require special consideration in the designing of an opener to meet such conditions, and the present openers have been designed to meet such special conditions.

Crown caps are provided with encircling flanges which are set down over the end portions of the bottles, reaching approximately one-quarter inch inwardly along the necks of the bottles. The ends of such bottles are provided with rounded and slightly extending beads over which the cap flanges extend; and after such crown caps are set into place with their flanges overlying these beads the flanges are crimped tightly over and against the beads to lock the caps in place on the bottles. When such locking has been accomplished it will be found that the crimped flanges reach slightly inwardly towards the bottle necks, but still there remains a small clearance between the bottle necks and the inward extending flanges, so that a suitable tool may be inserted between the surface of the neck and the edge of the crimped flange, so that such tool may then be used to pry the flange outwardly from the bottle neck to start the removal of the crown cap from the bottle. Such clearance is, however small, so that such tool must be designed to take a secure grip on the flange edge, without interference from the presence of the bottle neck which is closely adjacent to the flange edge but separated therefrom.

Many forms of bottle openers have been devised which are intended for removal of these crown caps, but it has been found that such earlier forms of bottle cap removers have frequently been of such form and action that cracking and chipping of the bottle necks, or the beaded portions of such necks, has resulted. This has been due largely to the fact that such earlier forms of bottle cap removers have been so designed and formed that the prying force exerted for removal of the caps from the bottles has included pressure exerted against the glass material of the bottles themselves. The force needed for starting the removal of the cap has been so large that the pressure thus exerted against the material of the bottle has caused the breaking or chipping of the bottle glass as just stated.

The starting of the cap removal from the bottle neck requires that a force be exerted against the cap flange in such manner that an expanding action shall be created on .the flange, sufficient to expand that flange enough to release it from the bead of the bottle neck. If the force exerted on the flange be directly parallel to the axis of the bottle such force must be converted into an expanding force by the contact of the flange with the head. This action when present serves to exert a large force against the bead, and this is itself a cause of chipping and breaking the battle material.

Or again, if the expanding force exerted against the flange be created by a prying action developed between the flange and the bottle neck, such prying action of itself will tend to crack or break the bottle material. In both of the foregoing types of expanding action it is seen that the development of the expanding force is due to a pressure of some kind exerted against the material of the bottle.

It is a prime object of my present invention to provide a form of bottle cap remover which is so designed that the force needed for disengagement of the flange from the bead of. the neck is created otherwise than by exertion of a force against the bottle material itself. Thereby the breaking or cracking of the bottle material will be greatly reduced, and in fact almost completely eliminated. I have provided a cap remover of such form and design that the expanding force is generated by a direct application of force to the flange without generating any direct pressure against the material of the bottle itself. This direct application and formation of the expanding force against the cap flange is developed ac cording to my present invention by a radial component of force against the flange, such radial component being developed by such a design of the opener that the radial component is a result of a pressure developed against the top portion or surface of the cap itself during the removing action. I have so designed the cap remover that when the cap removing action is initiated a rolling action is created, causing the cap itself in effect to roll about a center or axis located at the top and central surface portion of the cap, the edge portion of the cap flange being held or retained by the cap remover so that such rolling action results in an expanding of the edge of the flange, drawing such flange edge away from the bottle bead, or rather drawing such bead away from the flange, and thus in effect expanding the flange to a point such that the cap is readily removed from the bottle. This rolling action is produced by first engaging the edge of the flange with a portion of the cap remover, so that this edge portion is locked against movement, and then in effect rolling the bottle against a pivotal point located on the cap remover, thereby causing the held point of the cap flange to be drawn outwardly, and causing said portion of the cap flange to be in eifect expanded with the desired expanding action.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device which is of simple form, readily made in large numbers or quantities by die pressing operations, and so designed that the cap engaging element may be made of hard material such as heat treated steel o the like,'the remaining portions of the device being made from softer carbon steel by usual die manufacturing processes. It is a further object of the invention to provide a form of construction which i well adapted to use either by attachment to a wall or other stationary structure, or as a manually held implement Or utensil. In either case it is an object to provide an arrangement such that the device may be made at low cost but permanent form so that it will retain its cap removing ability for a long interval of time, the hard metal cap engaging element ensuring such result.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detailed description of the same, which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a bottle opener embodying the features of my present invention attached to a wall or other stationary structure, and this figure also shows a bottle cap engaged with such opener preparatory to the emoving action;

Figure 2 shows a front elevational view of the cap remover itself attached to a suitable structure;

Figure 3 shows a side elevation corresponding to Figure 2;

Figure 4 shows a transverse section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 shows a front view of a modified form of cap remover embodying the features of the present invention;

Figure 6 shows a side view corresponding to Figure 5;

Figure 7 shows a transverse section taken substantially on the line l'! of Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 shows another modified form of cap remover embodying the features of my present invention, including a handle whereby the device may be readily used as a hand carried device, but embodying the features of the present invention;

Figure 9 is a cross-section taken on the line !l@ of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring first to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the cap remover therein shown includes the two elements if? and H which are secured together in a generally T-shape, the stem portion of the element H extending substantially at right angles to the stem portion of the element it, so that the axis of said stem portion II will intersect the axis of the stem portion of the element Hi near its central portion. I also provide the cap flange engaging hardened portion l2, said portion l2 having the flange edge engaging or hock portion l3, rather sharpened as shown in Figure 4, and slightly deflected backwardly. This sharpened edge or hook portion [3 lies to one side of the element H (the cap engaging side) just far enough to securely engage the edge of the cap flange when the cap is to be removed, as well shown in Figure 4. In that figure I have shown the neck portion of the bottle at M, and the crown cap thereon at l5. In that figure, also, the bead of the bottle neck is shown at it, and the cap flange is shown at H. It is also an important feature of my present invention that I have provided on or in conjunction with the ele-- ment H a raised or pivotal portion it which is in position to engage or be engaged by the central portion of the bottlecaplE during the cap removing operation, to thereby provide a pivotal point or axis about which the bottle and its cap may be rocked during the cap removing operation. This pivotal point or axis is so related to the location of the point of engagement of the hook portion 13 with the edge of the flange that when the capped bottle is brought to position i to engage the flange edge with the hook portion,

and when thereafter the capped bottle is swung or rocked downwardly while retaining such engagement, the central portion of the cap comes against the raised pivotal portion is. Then, by continuing such downward rocking movement with application of force, the flange will be retained by the hook against further rocking movement, while the bottle neck continues to be rocked, with the result that the bottle neck with its bead is drawn away from that portion of the cap flange which is being retained against movement by the engagement of the hook portion [3. As a result such'portion of the flange (engaged portion) is drawn outwardly from the bead of the bottle neck, and is thus expanded away from V the cap from the bottle; but such expansion is not suflicient to completely destroy the engageability of the cap flange with the neck bead, and

it i therefore possible to re-use the cap on the,

bottle for semi-sealing purposes, in manner which is well understood by users of crown-capped bottles.

It is especially to be noted that during such removing operation there is no engagement created between the hook portion l3 and the glass of the bottle neck bead, and that the expanding of the flange is not due to any prying action between such flange and the glass of the bottle. Rather such expanding action is due entirely to the outward pulling of the cap flange .by the engagement of the hook 133 with such flange portion, and by reason of the pivoting of the bottle and the cap about'the axis or center of rock provided by the raised portion I8.

At this point I wish to emphasize that the hook portion l3 should be made of very hard steel or other metal, so that it may be of small size to engage only the flange portion of the cap, and without contact with the glass of the bottle itself. Thereby any possible prying action against the glass of the bottle is avoided, and complete reliance may be placed on the sole engagement of the hook portion 13 with the flange of the cap, the further action of drawing the flange outwardly from the bottle neck being due to the rocking or rolling action about the pivotal point or axis [8.

Conveniently the device may be made structurally as shown. In this case the elements I0 and II are provided with the extreme end portions l9 and 20 which are adapted to lie flush against a flat surface such as a wall or a door frame member to which said end portions may be fastened by screws or otherwise as desired. In the form of device shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, also, the element 10 is made of curved cross-section for added stiffness, and the element I2 is correspondingly formed of curved crosssection to lie firmly against the convex surface of the element I 0. Similar curvature is also provided in an angular extension 2| formed on the element I I, as shown at Figure 4, so that such portion 2| may seat firmly against the concave surface of the element l2. By firmly drawing the portions 2| and ID towards each other the element 12 is very firmly gripped between these elements, but with the extreme or hooked end portion 13 of the element I2 located at the proper position with respect to the element II, as shown.

Any suitable means may be provided to secure the elements or portions l0, l2 and 2| together firmly, but the arrangement shown is satisfactory. In this arrangement the element I0 is provided with a hole 22 through which is extended the hook shaped tongue 23 of the element 2|, the size of this tongue being such as to bring the parts 2| and Ill into clamping engagement with the element l2 when said parts 2! and Ill are forced together; and conveniently, also the end of the element l2 is provided with a notch 24 (see Figure '7) to receive such tongue 23 when the parts are assembled. Such engagement of the tongue 23 with this notch will effectively retain the element l2 against any pivoting or rocking movement about the rivet presently to be described.

After the parts have been brought together into the relationship just described a rivet 25 may be passed through the three elements l0, l2 and 2!, close to the location of the element ll, thus firmly locking all said parts together; and the engagement of the tongue 23 with both of the elements 12 and 2! will effectively lock the end portions of said elements together.

The raised or pivotal portion l8 may be provided in any convenient manner. In the arrangement shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 I have formed the element ll of angular form, so that this raised portion comprises the apex of such angular formation; and I have given stiffness to the element H by providing the central rib extending lengthwise of such element as well shown in Figure 2 in particular. This rib reaches down substantially to the original plane of the blank of metal from which the element H is formed; and during the process of bending the element II to produce the high portion l8 (leaving the central rib unbent) the metal of the blank is contracted laterally as shown in Figures 1 and 2 to produce the slightly angular depressions shown at 26 in said figures.

In the modified arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6 I have formed the raised portion [8 by reversing the formation from that just described. In these Figures 5 and 6 the main or body portion of the element II is retained flat, and the rib is so formed in said element that said rib not only extends lengthwise of the element but the central portion of the rib is raised most fully, the rib tapering in height from said central portion to both ends where the rib disappears and merges with the fiat portion of the element II. In this case, however, some lateral contraction of the metal of the blank may be expected, as shown at 26 in Figure 5.

In the further modification shown in Figure 8 I have shown the features of my invention as applied to what may be called a handle type of opener. In this case the element II is shown as being provided with an extension 21 in the form of a handle which may be readily grasped in one hand to pry such handle portion lengthwise of the bottle, while the bottle is being held against movement. Such prying movement of the opener will result in a rocking of the remover about the pivotal point l8, but with a cap removing action according to the disclosures already stated herein.

While I have herein shown and described only certain embodiments of my present invention, still I do not intend to limit myself thereto except as I may do so in the claims to follow.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a bottlecap remover intended for the removal of crown type bottle caps from bottles having necks with outwardly formed beads at the extreme ends of such necks and for disengagement of said crown type caps from such bottle neck beads, said crown caps having edge fianges extending axially a distance substantially equal to the axial distance of the lower edges of the neck beads from the plane of the ends of the bottle necks, said remover including an element of curved crosssection adapted to extend substantially parallel to the axis of the bottle and normal to the crown cap on such bottle and with the concave face of said element adjacent to the bottle neck and the edge of the crown cap, a cap edge engaging hook element in engagement with the concave face of the first mentioned element and having one end provided with a sharp crown edge engaging hook portion extending away from said hook element for a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the edge portion of the crown cap engaging the bottle neck and capable of engaging the edge portion of the crown cap substantially without engagement of said hook portion with the surface of the bottle neck bead, a fulcrum element secured to the first mentioned element and projecting from said first mentioned element in the direction of the concave face of said first mentioned element substantially at right angles to the first mentioned element and at a position distant from the cap edge engaging hook substantially equal to the axial dimension of the crown cap edge flange from the plane of the body portion of such crown cap, together with means to secure all of said parts rigidly together.

2. A device as specified in claim 1 wherein said means to secure all of said parts together comprises a rivet or the like extending through said first mentioned curved cross-section element, said crown edge enga in el a a p tion of said pivoting element which lies parallel to the first mentioned curved cross-section'element. I

3. A device as specified in claim 2, together with means additionally to said riveting means to secure the crown edge engaging element against rotary movement with respect to the first mentioned element. F

FRANZ K. KRAG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hapgood et a1 Aug; 4, 1908 Dunlap Sept. 2, 1924 Schilling Sept. 25, 1935 Brown Nov. 2, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country I I 7 Date Switzerland Mar. 16, 1923 

